Principal Planner

Under general supervision of the Community Development Director or designee, the employee's principal function is to carry out complex planning projects. Responsibilities include comprehensive planning, subdivision/development review, annexation, and research. As well as developing, coordinating, presenting and maintaining long-term analysis. Perform professional planning work applying professional standards to planning, zoning, permitting, research, and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Regulations.

A high degree of technical knowledge is required and work is performed with considerable independence and initiative. The employee will provide technical guidance with the following: zoning; City planning information; conducting plan reviews for commercial, industrial and residential development; preparing Data and Analysis for a variety of different submittals such as Comprehensive Plan Amendments; Text Amendments; Future Land Use Amendments; Rezonings; Conditional Uses; Variances; The work may entail both current and long-range planning activities.

• Actively supports and upholds the City's mission and values
• Contributes to supporting organizational goals and priorities
• Performs and manages complex and sensitive professional planning projects, research and analysis
• Monitors and ensures compliance with local, state and federal laws
• Oversees specialized planning functions such as large-scale new development proposals and environmental studies
• Advises the Planning Director on all planning-related matters
• Serves as a liaison and performs all necessary functions in support of the Planning and Zoning Board
• Attends evening and weekend meetings
• Supports the development of the City's comprehensive plan, planning programs and policies.
• Preparing staff recommendations regarding development, amendment, and implementation of City's Comprehensive Plan; and other long-range planning studies.
• Serves as project manager for major planning activities and specific projects.
• Analyzes requests and recommends appropriate action for a wide variety of plan cases, including, but not limited to, zoning text amendments, zoning map amendments, land development and subdivision requests, subdivision regulation amendments, special use permits, conditional use permits, variances, annexation agreements, planned unit developments, and comprehensive plan amendments.
• Creates Planning and Zoning Board agenda and cases, including recommendations, providing alternate recommendations if applicable.
• Makes presentations to government officials and citizens, especially the Planning and Zoning Board.
• Prepares ordinances and resolutions
• Evaluation of re-zonings, ordinance text amendments, site plans, special use permits, variances and other proposals on an as needed basis.
• Review of development proposals and site plans for conformance with codes, plans and regulations on an as needed basis.
• Reviews approved site plans, preliminary plat/final plat and landscape plans to verify zoning and code compliance.
• Fosters and develops a culture of positive customer service in working relationships with key staff, division and departmental employees, other governmental organizations, and with external services such as consultants, citizens, legal counsel, boards, and City Council.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director.

The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.
Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree with major course work in urban planning, government, law engineering, design, economics, social science, geography, statistics or a related field plus four (4) years professional experience in urban planning management; or Master's degree with major course work in urban planning, government, law, engineering, design, economics, social science, geography, statistics or a related field plus two (2) years of professional experience as described; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.

Special Qualifications:

• Possession of or ability to obtain pertinent certifications related to the position or American Institute of Certified Planner Certification (AICP) within two (2) years of hire.
• Possession of a valid, State of Florida driver's license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of principles and practices of Community Development activities including comprehensive planning, transportation, zoning, environmental, redevelopment, economic development and related ordinances, rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of principals of local and State laws and regulations pertaining to urban planning, zoning authorities, economic development and related operations.
• Ability to prepare accurate and reliable reports including appropriate findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Ability to present technical information to the public in clear, concise and easily understandable manner.
• Ability to research and analyze community development issues.
• Must be innovative, detail-oriented, experienced in highly visible/controversial projects.
• Capable of managing multiple, high-priority assignments.
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop good working relationships with staff, officials and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret research data for reports and apply practical situations.
• Reading comprehension to understand technical and legal materials.
• Ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously.
• Ability to provide effective supervision and staff management.
• Ability to manage projects effectively and meet firm deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage and conduct in-person and virtual public participation activities, meetings and hearings.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of local and regional planning, methods of collecting and analyzing planning data and preparing planning reports and studies.
• Ability to interpret and administer within delegated authority, applicable legislation, rules and regulations.

The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Standing or Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Visual Acuity: Including color, depth perception, and field vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Tasks are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions such as dirt, dust, pollen, wetness, humidity, fumes, temperature, and noise.